Softbank Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Daily Update for September 22, 2011

by Steven Sande (Sep 22nd, 2011)

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes, which is perfect for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the ...

KDDI to end Softbank's iPhone exclusivity in Japan in 2012

by Kelly Hodgkins (Sep 22nd, 2011)

A rumor from Japan's Nikkei newspaper suggests wireless carrier KDDI will begin selling the iPhone 5 early next year. This deal would end the exclusive iPhone agreement Japanese carrier Softbank has enjoyed the past few years. And enjoy it, Softbank has. In its June quarterly earnings, ...

iPhones, iPads drive Softbank's huge Q1 profits

by Steven Sande (Jul 28th, 2011)

Being a carrier partner of Apple can help drive your bottom line. As reported on The Apple Blog, Japanese cellular carrier Softbank's fiscal first quarter results showed an almost 500 percent increase in net income over the same quarter in 2010. To what did Softbank attribute the spectacular ...

The iPhone 4 sales ranking in Japan

by Kelly Hodgkins (May 18th, 2011)

Even in cell phone crazed Japan, the iPhone 4 is the top-selling handset according to a report from market research firm GfK Japan. Data from the first quarter of 2011 shows the 16 GB and 32 GB models in first and second place, respectively. Rounding out the top three is the Android-powered ...

Softbank profits surge thanks to the iPhone and iPad

by Kelly Hodgkins (May 9th, 2011)

Japan's number three wireless carrier, Softbank, reported record profits thanks to the success of the iPhone and the iPad. Net profit for the quarter ending in March climbed to Y47.41 billion, up from Y1.85 billion in the same quarter last year. Softbank's ARPU (average revenue per user) also ...

SoftBank to replace iPhones lost in Japan's earthquake, tsunami

by Kelly Hodgkins (Mar 30th, 2011)

In the midst of an overwhelming catastrophe, Japan's wireless carrier SoftBank is stepping up to the plate to help many of those affected by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son recently traveled to Tamura, a city that is serving as a refuge for those devastated by the ...

Japanese government urges Apple to add content filtering to the iPhone

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jan 4th, 2011)

The iPhone is climbing up the ranks in the crowded Japanese mobile phone market, recently reaching the number five position behind Sharp, Panasonic, Fujitsu and Kyocera. The Japanese government is taking notice of this increasingly popular smartphone and is calling on exclusive carrier Softbank and ...

iPhone 4 getting stickers in Japan for mobile payment solutions

by Kelly Hodgkins (Dec 28th, 2010)

NFC technology comes to the iPhone 4 thanks to the Japanese carrier SoftBank, which is offering Sony's FeliCa payment system for the iPhone 4. The system includes an NFC-enabled "seal" that affixes to the back of the iPhone 4 and is compatible with the official Apple bumper case. From the ...

iPad 3G available for free in Japan with two-year Softbank contract

by Sam Abuelsamid (Nov 30th, 2010)

Japan's Softbank Mobile is subsidizing the entire cost of a 16GB iPad 3G (translated link) for those willing to sign a contract for two years of monthly data plan payments. By agreeing to pay Softbank $56 (¥4,725) a month at least 24 times, customers get the iPad for free -- sort of. The way the ...

Apple controls 72% of Japanese smartphone market

by Michael Grothaus (Apr 23rd, 2010)

Softbank Corp., Japan's sole iPhone carrier, has announced that the iPhone accounted for 72% of smartphones shipped in the country during the fiscal year that ended March 31. The fact that the iPhone has penetrated 72% of the market in Japan is even more impressive given that Softbank Corp. is just ...

Softbank announces iPhone 3G pricing for Japan

by Robert Palmer (Jun 23rd, 2008)

According to the blog iPhone in Japan, Softbank will be offering the iPhone 3G to its customers starting at ¥23,040 (≈$214) for the 8GB model. The 16GB model will cost ¥34,560 (≈$321). Service for the iPhone will be offered under Softbank's White Plan, but will be available under ...